5 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I found the article about how much students trust their parents interesting....A year ago,there was this case of an early admit student attending clubs at night. Her parents didn't know. It sounds like Stern is trying to help fix certain things...

Nice article about the play,Chana. I wasn't able to attend it,but the way you described it made me feel as if I did. Thank you.

Chana, I usually enjoy reaing your articles in the Observer, but I had trouble with your article about the Academic Bible.

Are you truly implying that everyone who is interested in the type of class you are suggesting are all intelligent, truth seekers, and anyone who isn't simply "dances through life?" Don't you think that's a massive generalization.

I'd think that you could understan why individuals- however intellectual and curious they are, would not wish to take a class like that. From a religious perspective, it has nothing to do with fear or shallowness. Rather it comes from having a certain level of respect for the Torah. People don't want to study the Bible as literature, for the simple fact that it isn't. It is something divine and holy, the very tenent of our faith. I'm not saying Stern shouldn't offer a class like this. I do see the merit in offering it. However, don't be so quick to judge your classmates Chana.

I liked the article about the Academic Bible. If I were a Judaic studies/English major like Chana -I would want to learn what "the other side" has to offer. This kind of undertaking is not for everyone though. A student willing to do this needs to know who she is and have a strong religious/ academic background. Chana meets both citeria.

I am glad you enjoyed the review. If only they had kept in the sentence where I compared the plant to Hannibal Lecter. Editors are evil. ;-) I am joking.

Anonymous 9:16,

Of course not. The value of that song lies in the fact that Fiyero actually says this is what it means to lead "the unexamined life." Certainly there are people who look through ideas and come to the decision that they cannot or will not deal with them (perhaps due to halakhic considerations.) These people are rare. The majority of the people I know who are uninterested in Academic Bible haven't the faintest idea of what it is, or recoil in horror because it sounds worrisome. I respect anyone who has thought about the issues involved and come to the conclusion that for some reason this is not for them. There are very few who have done that.